I am new here and need some advice on buying a Mini.

The 2007 Mini Cooper S I'm looking at has a newly rebuilt engine by a certified master BMW mechanic and a new turbo. Otherwise it appears to be in near perfect condition. It has 95,000 miles on it. Automatic. He's asking 8600.

I am aware that 2007 mini's are notorious for having timing chain/engine/turbo/clutch/sunroof (although the clutch isn't applicable for this car I'm looking at) and a slew of other problems since it is the first year with the new BWM engine, the first year with the turbo, and the first year with the newer body style and interior.

While the newly rebuilt engine and new turbo got my positive attention, I want to have a reasonable assurance that I won't have to replace them again simply because it's a 2007. In other words, is the rebuilt engine and turbo a good thing (a sign of a car that will last longer than it's mileage implies) or is it more of a sign of problems to come?

I know that it's only anyone's best guess, but would you expect a 2007 that been maintained very well to have reoccurring engine/turbo problems, or could those 2007 design flaws been fixed by when they were replaced.

My other option is a 2005 or 2006 Cooper S but so far I like how the turbo engine drives better.

Thanks!

 

It would be nice to know why the engine was rebuilt. Did it drop a valve, break a piston, drop a rod etc. Or did it suffer a timing failure resulting in valves meeting pistons? With some information you may be able to equate the failure to the previous owners driving habits. Habits that may have caused unseen degradation to the automatic transmission or other areas of the car like the suspension.

The rebuild would have used the latest "updated" parts but that doesn't mean that the flaws were fixed as we still see timing chain and tensioner issues even after new parts are installed. Water pump housings are still plastic as is the timing cover which is still problematic. So all you can do is continue to properly maintain the car as best you can and address issues as they arise.

The turbo car is a pleasure to drive and it delivers solid performance with excellent fuel economy when in stock configuration. I'm committed to keeping mine despite the same concerns you have expressed. Good luck with your purchase and welcome to our little group!

 

Thanks for the feedback.

I asked and the reason the engine was rebuilt was because the woman who owned it before didn't do any of the required service needed and let it run for far too long while it was low on oil.

 

I'm interested in this topic as well. Is it possible to get a 2008 - 2010 Cooper S that will be as reliable as the 2005 - 2006 have been? Are there enough updated parts to make it last 150K + miles?

 

This is typical, I have heard numerous stories of owner's bring in their MCS between oil changes only to find 1-2 quarts of oil in the crankcase, by this time it's to late! You should be worried about the clutch, just paid $3500 for a new one last year.

In the last 2 years I have replaced in order of failures,

1. Timing chain
2. Valve cover (made of plastic)
3. Footwell module
4. Water pump (made of plastic)
5. Thermostat housing (made of plastic)
6. Oil filter housing
7. Clutch, flywheel

Think about it some more.

 

I think that if you do your own maintenance and minor/moderate repairs, then you can make an N14 live. If you expect it to be reliable like a corolla, then look elsewhere. The list from SystemLord pretty much matches mine (except for 1,3,7 and add a coolant reservoir). Having a dealer do the work is likely $4000 plus the clutch.


If you get into the N14, plan on carbon cleaning every 25k miles, oil changes every 5, and watch for leaks (check fluid levels weekly). I feel that you don't need to automatically run from early Gen 2 MINI's, but you need to assess what you are capable of doing yourself, and be ready to work.


Have fun,
Mike

 

Knowing it's the worse year ever made WHY would you want it ? I just don't see any reason unless it was darn near free.

 

You mean cleaning out the intake manifold? Do you mean removing the manifold and sand blasting it to remove the carbon build up? What about the 10K recommended oil change interval?

 

Sand blasting the intake valves wouldn't be a great idea, walnut shells is what's used because it's enough to remove the carbon without damaging the aluminum head. The 10K oil change interval is a little long because as your oil vapors go into the intake manifold and into the engine to be burned, what's left behind is the heavier thicker oil that bakes itself on your valves and inside the engine. What's needed is an engine detox, I add BG ERP to my oil (every 30K) before changing oil to remove the baked on deposits inside the engine, then add new oil and filter. An oil change interval of 5000 miles is cheap insurance and you'll have a cleaner engine internally. You'll still need to check/add oil in-between the 5000 mile oil change interval or you could end up with 1-2 quarts of oil in total if you burn through half a quart of oil every 1000 - 1500 miles! Some engines burn through 2 quarts of oil every 1000 - 1500 miles.